The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Computer-based virtual reality devices provide a unique immersive experience for a user. Through virtual reality applications, a user is capable of experiencing a fully modeled three dimensional world of a game or movie as if the user was actually in the game or movie. Virtual reality computer systems typically comprise a programmed digital computer coupled, directly or indirectly via networks, to a display device that is capable of rendering a virtual 3D world or environment on a two-dimensional display panel. In some cases the display device may be a head mounted display (HMD) consisting of a wearable apparatus having one or more displays that can be positioned close to the eyes of the user.
HMDs provide an immersive virtual reality experience for a user. Immersion in the visual experience is achieved in part because the HMD displays video across the entire frontal and peripheral visual field of the user so that the real external environment is not seen. An HMD creates the immersive feel by allowing an application publisher to provide a hands free immersion into video games or 3D filmed content. By tracking the movement of the headset in three dimensions through one or more motion detecting chips, an HMD is capable of displaying the 3D environment in a manner that synchronizes with the motion of a person's head. Thus, as a person turns or rotates their head, the headset is capable of recognizing the motion and displaying to the user a corresponding portion of the virtual reality environment.
As virtual reality applications become more available to the public, it becomes more important to be able to display outside content within a particular virtual reality application. “Outside content,” in this context, means content from third parties with respect to the user and the virtual reality application provider. For example, many modern HMDs, such as the Samsung Gear VR™ and the Google Cardboard™, make use of the technology in modern smartphones to provide virtual reality applications, thereby opening up virtual reality headsets to a wider audience and allowing application developers to reach a wider audience. As with other types of mobile applications, content providers will be able to reach the largest audiences by displaying content in other applications. For example, a creator of a virtual reality tower defense game would have the best chances of reaching a large audience of potential customers by playing a video of the tower defense game in a different virtual reality game.
Retaining an immersive feel is important for virtual reality applications. An application publisher's ability to retain users, who may be customers, may be highly influenced by how immersive the application is. Any activity that breaks the flow of immersion threatens to cause user attrition.
Due to the importance of the immersive feel to virtual reality applications, it is difficult to provide outside content into an application in a manner that minimizes customer attrition. With browser and mobile applications, a pop-up or embedded video display does not have the same effect upon breaking immersion as such displays would have on a virtual reality application. For example, when a user plays a racing game in a virtual reality application, the experience is intended to make the user feel that the user is operating a vehicle. Thus, the virtual reality application would include a rendered three dimensional environment that allows the user to look around the inside of the user's virtual car and outside the user's virtual windows. If, during the execution of the racing application, a video featuring a shampoo commercial appeared directly in front of the user, the immersive feeling that the user is sitting in a virtual car would be lost.
Thus, there is a need for a method of displaying content in a virtual reality application in a manner that does not break the immersive feel of the virtual reality application.